Advertising sign



Dec. 16, 1941. G, GoLpBERG ETAL 2,266,724

ADVERTISING lSIGN Filed Dec. 8, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 1 1 ATTORNEY.

Dec. 16, 1941. G GQLDBERG ET AL 2.266,72@- v ADVERTIS ING SIGN FiledDeo. 8, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 2 Tua-5 i9 76 J3 J7 El a:

INVENTORS l GEosfs/E GOLDBE G AND MH. GRAF 4 ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 16, 1941 UNTED ADVERTISING SIGN George Goldberg and EmilGraf, New York, N. Y.,

assignors to G. & G. Precision Works, Inc., av

corporation of New York 3 Claims.

Our invention relates to advertising signs having moving threedimensional letters in outline.

Objects of our invention are to provide a sign of the foregoingcharacter having letter supporting means which will permit theinstallation and removal of the letters therefrom in a simple and safemanner; to provide a novel arrangement for aixing the letter supportingmeans to a standard type of link chain; to provide a constructionwhereby only the letters may be seen in motion; to provide means wherebythe letters may be interchangeably positioned in various sections of theadvertising device.

We accomplish Ythese and other objects and obtain our new results aswill be apparent from the device described in the following description,particularly pointed out in the attached claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of our novel advertising sign.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the top section removed.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of two sections of the chain to which the lettersupport is attached during assembly. l

Fig. 4 is a side View in partial section of the same.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the letter support removed from the chain.

Fig. 6 is an end view of a modied form of the same. v

Fig. 7 is a form of lock washer used in the letter supporting assembly.

Fig. 8 is a pespective View of a modified form of our novel sign.

In Fig. 1, reference numeral I0 designates the cover or top section ofthe sign, housing the mechanism within, mounted on the base section ll.Through rectangular aperture l2, the letters i3 may be seen, against anilluminated translucent screen i4. A similar opening, not shown, may beprovided in the rear for additional display.

The ends of the cover I0 may be rounded as at I5, to permit the lettersupporting mechanism to turn corners and clear the cover, as will behereinafter described.

In Fig. 2, a plan View of the internal mechanism is shown.

Upon the base Il, a base plate I6, adjustably mounted thereon by bolt I1entering slots I8 carries the motor I9 with speed reduction mechanism29, rotatmg driving sprocket 2l mounted 2| with auxiliary sprocket 2&1,upon which is integrally mounted driving sprocket 25 Carrying theendless chain 25 upon which letter supports 21 are mounted in a mannerhereinafter described.

' Sprockets 28 rotatably mounted on the base il by pins 2S are locatedat the four corners of the base together with similar sprockets 3U,mounted on the side opposite the motor for supporting the chain 23 whereit is redirected to the motor driven sprocket.

Letters i3 are carried in supports 21 past the translucent screen Ml,supported by brackets 3| and illuminated by bulbs 32 mounted in sockets35i, supported on the base il. The sockets are electrically wired underthe base section Il, switch 34 operating the motor and/or bulbs. A metalplate 35 mounted on the base section il, underneath long stretches ofthe chain prevents sagging and permits the sprocket teeth to enter thespace between links without audibly clicking.

The letters I3 provided with base extensions 93A are mounted on thechannel shaped letter supports 21 as shown in Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive,consisting of two side walls 36 and 31 and a base section 38, centrallydepressed as at 39 to receive a washer 4t. Two pins @il and t2 protrudethrough corresponding apertures i3 and 44 of Washer 130 and may beintegrally attached thereto by swedging or soldering, or detachablymounted. The free end of pins il and 42 are provided with annularrecesses 43 and 46 for locking engagement with split spring washer 41 ofequal thickness as the width of the annular recess and adapted to vbepositioned about the pins within the recesses by spreading the split endof the split washer.

The letter supports 21 are attached to the well known type of link chain23 in the following manner:

The links are formed into sections having extending inner links 48,spacers 49 and bushing with the normally riveted pins 5l removed. Thesupport pins 4| and 42 are inserted through the apertures of an outerlink 52, through the bushing, spacers :and inner link assembly,thereafter throughthe two apertures of anouter link 53, where the spitspring washer 41 is locked thereon. Thus two sections of links arepivotally mounted together about a pair of pins carrying a support forsupporting the letters. Since each pair of pins .passing through bothends of the same link are xedly spaced from each other, the support iscarried in the same manner and rotates and on pin 22. Driving chain 23connects SPIOCkel? 55 moves integrally with its corresponding link.

In Fig. 5, the letter I3 is shown as being gripped on base extension I3Aby the side walls 36 and 31 of support 21 permitting the letters to beremoved longitudinally or transversely.

In Fig. 6 the letter 54 is provided with longitudinal indentations 55 onthe base extension, into which side walls 56 of support 51 slide. Theletters must be removed and installed from one end of this support.

A part of the housing of the sign is a channel shaped member IA whichsupports the chain 26 between the two sprockets on either side of therectangular aperture I2, and prevents vibration of the letters, as wellas rendering invisible the letter supports.

In signs of this type, a considerable number of letters are needed farin excess of those actually in use. We have provided a slot 60 shown inFig. l, on the top cover I0 shaped in cross section as channel 35, intowhich a portion of the remainder of the letters may be inserted toprovide additional advertising space, without encumberng the sign withextending letter gripging or supporting means unaesthetic in appearancewhen not in use.

The space behind the non-moving letters in slot 60 may be provided witha light transmitting panel 6I, which will furnish an attractiveillumination for the letters located on the top of the cover whichillumination can come from the same bulbs 32, providing the light forthe screen I4. A corresponding slot 62 may be provided on the oppositeside of the cover for an additional display from the opposite direction.

In Fig. 8, the device in modified form is shown, which emphasizes the'effect of non-visibility for the letter support and means for creatingmotion.

A passageway or channel 63 is formed around the perimeter of the sign,large enough to permit the letters to enter and exit with properclearance. The passageway is removed from the front section 64,permitting the letters to be furth'er separated from the background. Ahorizontal light transmitting panel 65 is provided at the same level asthe bottom of the letters which will permit light to strike the letters66 from the rear. Merchandise may b'e placed on the light transmittingpanel for effective display.

Only one aperture has been described in detail, but corresponding partsmay be provid-ed for two-way visibility as shown in Fig. 2, wherein 3|Arepresents the rear brackets for supporting MA, the light transmittingscreen, illuminated by bulbs 32A mounted in sockets 33A. Channel IBBlsupports the chain 26 between outer sprockets 28.

An important feature resides in the assembly of the letter supports 21to the chain. The chains are manufactured in units having a number oflinks sufficient t space the supports properly on the chain. The endlinks are not provided with pins, the two projecting pins of the supportsubstituting therefor in an identical manner. Thus the assembly of thesupport to th'e links is accomplished efciently and expeditiously.

We have thus described our invention, but we desire it understood thatit is not confined to the particular forms or uses shown and described,the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention may becarried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of ourinvention, and, therefore, we claim broadly the right to employ allequivalent instrumentalities coming Within the scope of the appendedclaims, and by means of which. objects of our invention are attained andnew results accomplished, as it is obvious that the particularembodiments herein shown and described are only some of the many thatcan be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A sign comprising a base member; an endless band rotatably mountedthereon; a plurality of three dimensional letters in outline; means forsupporting said letters on said endless band substantially over itsentire length; a motor for rotating said endless band; and housing meansmounted on said base member for covering -said motor, endless band andletters and letter supporting means, and having a cut-out section topermit only said three dimensional letters in outline to be visibletherethrough, said housing means having a light transmitting membermounted parallel to the base member and on a level substantially that ofthe letter supporting means.

2. A sign comprising a base member, an endless link chain rotatablymounted thereon; a plurality of letters; a channel for supporting theletters mounted on a single link of said chain and having a length ofchannel suicient to support a plurality of letters; a motor for rotatingsaid endless chain; and housing means mounted on said base member andspaced from the endless chain to permit the channels to rotate freelytherein.

3. A sign comprising a base member, an endless link chainrotatablyrmounted thereon; a plurality of letters; a channel forsupporting the letters mounted on a single link of said chain and havinga length of channel sufcient to support a plurality of letters; a motorfor rotating said endless chain; and housing means mounted on said basemember having a cut-out at one side thereof for viewing the letters,'and spaced therefrom to provide a minimum clearance from the frontthereof and having recesses at the sides of said housing to permit thechannels carrying theletters to rotate therein without touching thehousing.

GEORGE GOLDBERG. EMIL GRAF.

